8 X 04 EPILOGUE "What Lies Beneath"

[nathanfan1]

So the underlying theme tonight is the topic of lying. Hmmmmm, we could be in for quite an emotional ride. Let's share our thoughts after the show and on into the week!

[castle88]

Decent hour of tv for the new show. Castle PI, or maybe, 12th Precint. It wasn't an episode of Castle.

[motowncf]

It was a fun episode, I suppose. I'm still having a hard time finding the point of this separation. It just colors my whole attitude toward the show right now.

Alexis was much better in this episode. Don't mind her helping out so much when it's more toned down, like tonight.

The case reminded me of episodes of old.....lots of twists and turns. Elements reminded me of a couple of past episodes.

I liked the scene between Martha and Kate. I expected at some point that Martha would confront Kate about this separation.

Overall, an okay episode. Don't think I'm going to say any episode right now is a great or even good episode; it's just not the same show with Rick & Kate not together.

[arky]

This was the first episode I've enjoyed in a long time. The super six were all on top of their game tonight. Interesting case too!!!

I get what they are doing with Caskett now. I hate the regression but I get it. Were back to the fun of the chase again. We know that they love each other. Now Castle has to get Beckett to trust him all over again. Sux I know but it is what it is. Can we look forward to our DD sneaking around with each other again? 

As far as I can tell,the majority on here like the season so far. A good sign.

[geezer2008]

A cute comedy but IMO, Rick just looks like a buffoon with his antics to "win" her back. What ever happened to Kate being responsible for her actions and trying to "win" her husband back?? It just looks like Kate can do ANYTHING she wants and she knows he will take her back. To this fan, that ceased being funny after the 2nd episode. JMO.

[nathanfan1]

One of the main things I was looking for tonight was clues that showed this episode had been written, filmed and intended to be aired BEFORE last week's episode, and one of the most satisfying things for me was that this started with Martha confronting Kate at the precinct. It seemed odd last week that Martha and Alexis' only reaction to the separation was a cheer up basket for Castle. Thank you for showing us that Martha truly is invested in this marriage and wants Kate to see the error of her ways. Martha's lines about Castle's 2 previous divorces being complicated and her hug and assurance that Castle can always be relied on made this scene very emotional for me. I teared up over the tragedy of this whole separation. It's all so unnecessary!

Keeping with the Caskett focus, coffee again became an important symbol. Kate can't make a good cup as we saw in the early part of the episode, but Castle makes it perfectly and presents it like he's offering her his heart all over again. Makes me ache for Castle and want to scream at Beckett as she excuses herself for having to take a call. Castle gives her her space - as she asked - and leaves. It's so wrong! Another thing that didn't set well with me was the phone call Kate made to tease Castle about the 'blind' priest getting away from him. It infuriated me that she could do something so familiar and still remain distant. To make it even worse, they wrote it that Castle took it as a score because she was having fun with him. SO SAD. It's like she's toying with him. At the end of the Skype call, Castle shows real concern for Beckett and her new job, wearing his heart on his sleeve and Kate must be made of stone to keep shutting him out. We got a quick shot of Castle and Kate and the boys at the murder board and Castle got to be in on the final takedown, although it was probably just because the woman was his client. As my hubby said, "If this is them working together, those writers must be smoking something!" AMEN, Dear! I hope someone figures the # of minutes Castle and Beckett were on screen together again. I bet it was even less than last week.

I've been having a really hard time swallowing Alexis so far this season but this episode had her in an appropriate role, I thought. There's still no indication that she's still in college but at least she seemed in character in other respects.

As far as I'm concerned, this episode belonged to the boys, Ryan, Espo and Castle. Their scenes were genuinely funny and entertaining for me. The B story about the sergeant's exam was good with Ryan eventually willing to give the lone slot to Espo and then Kate pulling strings to get them both in. I loved the early line about the guy who'd been promoted - "a chromosome away from a Neanderthal." I also thought the former altar boy reaction was a hoot, as was the scene when all 3 of them got schooled by the reformed liar - Castle on his poor writing, Ryan on his lifts and Espo on coloring his hair. One of my favorite scenes tonight was the one where Castle is having a meal with the Irish hit man and Ryan and Espo burst in. Castle and the mobster are so confident and sure of their story and Ryan and Espo are gobsmacked. It was hysterical!  

I really didn't appreciate Castle having Ryan and Espo over to bribe them and I'm glad Alexis called her dad out on using Ryan as a mole. I thought it was going too far and not necessary at all because Castle was already full involved. He'd have done fine without Ryan and ANYWAY - HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE WORKING TO GET HIS WIFE BACK!!!!!!!!!!! But don't get me started on that.

Lastly, we did see Kate acting a lot more like a Captain than we did last week. She stayed in her office and was rarely in the field and she was doing paperwork. Knowing that last week's episode was supposed to follow this one though, makes me worried that this might be the only episode where she's acting appropriately. We'll see what next week brings. 

It was an entertaining episode but there's still no JOY in Mudsville and I don't know if it'll ever be the same for me.

[java]

I truly dislike the direction this show has taken since 6x23 and the writers and show runners are demonstrating either a casual regard to or perhaps a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of the characters and this show. Yes, in this episode we get the Ferrari and I cheered Martha being Martha and the comedy trio of Castle, Espo, and Ryan, but the tectonic shift in Kevin made me grimmace and wince hard.

Kevin Ryan is the most honest detective of the bunch. He is the Sir Gawain of the 12th Precinct. Remember, this is the guy who always makes the tough choices. He went to Gates when Beckett and Espo went hunting alone. He questioned Monty's involvement when the evidence was overwhelming, earning him a punch from Espo. He kept Beckett's and Castle's relationship a secret. He put his life on the line and risked his marriage to return as Fenton for justice and to save a woman. Regardless of financial hardship, I don't see this honorable man accepting the bribe from Castle nor lying to Espo in order to take the sargent exam slot. In an attempt for levity, this episode tarnished one of the pillars of the show.

[fantasynovelreader]

So my thoughts....Not sure what to say. While I enjoyed some of the episode, other parts left me a bit underwhelmed. Overall better than last week in some regards.

[marschg]

Better than last week but... Still not the same.

[castlecrazee]

The cloud of the break up of Caskett colors everything for me. They need to stop with the castle having to win Beckett back stuff. In my opinion she needs to earn his trust and love back. I guess she is going to have to hit rock bottom before this is all settled if it ever is. I love the boys and right now they are the reason I'm still watching.

[Fjordmom]

I did enjoy this ep for the most part...and I ain't lying   .  Enjoyed it enough that I will rewatch.  Loved Martha's talk, the boys, Kate's blue jacket and dress ... even Alexis didn't annoy quite as much as usual.  And, yeah, I cried when Rick brought Kate coffee with a heart ... please, get these two back together where they belong.

[castle88]

Some questions. If Kate is so concerned about Castle's well being, then why casually call him? If Kate has to be away because Castle will dig into anything, why has Castle accepted that Kate has left without trying to figure out why? Why have Ryan, the character who is the most honest of the group, accept a bribe from Castle (hopefully if there is actual sensitive information he keeps it to himself)?

[Deleted]

I have not yet read through this thread. Just coming here to say I fell asleep five minutes into the show. And I didn't care. 

I wanted to quote Castle when he said, "I don't know what we are...." back in what was it, season 4?, after Martha was with Kate in the opening scene.  That's all I saw, eye-rolled at Kate, and closed my eyes.  My passion for this show is at an all-time low.  Maybe I should turn in my OCD card. This is not my Kate. And I'm sick of seeing and thinking about Castle pining away/trying to "win" Kate back once again.  I don't think she can be won. She needs a slap by her father. This is ridiculous.

I'll come back when I've watched completely. Whenever that is. 

[tycho657]

I liked this episode. It was fun. They have a challenge every episode now to somehow have Castle and Beckett in scenes together without even being in the same room (or on set together?) I wonder if they now have 3 day work weeks?
I loved Martha's heart to heart with Kate.
I think I figured out why we are seeing Alexis so much. She did say she signed her Dad's signature on her intership papers. She must be getting credit as an intern at the PI place? No classes needed, it's on the job training??
I loved the coffee coming back into play. Kate has never been able to work the coffee machine without Castle. It was nice to see the heart in the milk of her latte. (I give myself credit for the latte art. I complained to Rob Bowman about them walking around with empty cups of coffee. The latte art started to appear soon after.)
The boys were a hoot as former alter boys at the church. They have picked up the load this season. They must be working more days for sure.

[angie1379]

nathanfan1, my post is completely superfluous after reading your comments. You expressed so many of my exact feelings, both good and bad.

The boys were hilarious. Blessing themselves in the church, twice, was just classic, and as a former alter server, I can relate! It was just weird seeing them and Lanie and a crime scene minus Castle and Beckett. Is this the new normal?

The sergeants exam, worries about money, the interaction with Castle, was all really classic and was definitively the most redeeming part of the episode. Alexis and Martha were both playing the best versions of themselves that we love most.

It's never been unusual to get a few episode a season in which Castle and Beckett took a backseat, but we're four episode in, and they've had as much screen time together cumulatively in those four episodes as we're used to seeing in one. I don't know if their lack of time together is story driven or production driven, but the result is a different show than we're used to, and one I fear too many of us are having a hard time relating to. We watch Castle to watch Caskett solve crimes together and navigate their relationship. Right now, it feels like they are doing neither. The imminent threat of Beckett's investigation gets dimmer each week, and it's harder to remember exactly why she had to leave him -- assuming we ever understood in the first place. It's just such a weak premise given everything they've been through together. I could maybe understand all this if Kate went completely underground trying to ferret out Lockstat and was on the run with Rita. However, by using NYPD resources for information and by having those files on Vulcan Simmons at work, she is theoretically putting everyone at risk. What happens if Espo sees a file, or even if Lockstat just thinks someone knows more than they do? Basically, I think what bother me most is how flimsy this whole excuse is. It simply does not stand up to even the vaguest scrutiny, and that makes it nothing more than a cheap gimmick, which in turn makes all these "sweet" Caskett moments and all the promised fire of the chase just seem pathetic and unnecessary.

I do wish they'd make it clear exactly what Castle is trying to do. Kate has assured him he still has her love, but he's still acting like he has to win her affection. I wish he'd stop getting excited by any demonstration of her feelings and instead focus on figuring out why she'd leave if she still loves him. His effort to get his wife back is incredibly moving, and shows the kind of dedication to marriage that more people maybe need to have. But he's working the wrong angles, and that's what's so frustrating. The writers gave us a specific set-up for Kate leaving (keep Castle safe) and then based the rest of the episodes and all of Castle's motives and actions on an entirely different premise (get my wife to fall in love with me again). No wonder it feels hollow and disjointed.

I have no doubt I would have thoroughly enjoyed this episode if it had been made in any other season. But right now, it just feels empty. It feels like the end of season four after "47 Seconds," but even then, they were in new territory. Now, they are trying to re-create that angst and anticipation, but the premise is so much weaker. The precedent Andrew Marlowe so firmly established of the two of them working through things together is just gone. He gave so many interviews in which he said he didn't get them together just to pull the rug and have them split up. Then, not two second into his departure, his predecessors broke that promise. Maybe that's what really bothers me more than anything.

Castle never felt gimmicky to me, and now it does. I'm committed to seeing it through, but it's going to take a heck of a lot to undo how I feel right now.